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Senator Barickman statement on ISBE calculations for SB231

5/4/2016

“I appreciate Senator Manar’s continued work on school funding reform, but the numbers make it clear that his proposal has taken a major step backward in the process. The data shows what many of us have feared—thathis legislation has become a vehicle for a major bailout of the bankrupt Chicago school system, while wildly shifting funding around suburban communities, and creating a detrimental impact on downstate schools,” said Sen. Barickman.

“To create a real solution to our broken funding mechanism, we must work with all parties at the table, including the education community, parents, lawmakers from both parties, and the Governor’s administration. In the meantime, we must immediately do what we can to provide certainty for our schools so they can open on time in the fall. We can increase the help the state is providing, by fully funding the existing formula for the first time in seven years. There is no reason that our students should be held hostage while we negotiate real reforms to the system.”